Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a heavily worn M1 helmet which is painted on the underside in the Navy color, and on the top in white with a red stripe and MP to the front, which are the colors for the Marine Corps military police. This likely means the helmet was worn by a Marine detached to a ship serving as Military Police. The helmet has a very faded head stamp that appears to read 44BB, but this likely is not correct. 

The Ordnance Department selected McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company of Detroit Michigan to produce the steel M1 helmet bodies. These bodies were made from a single piece of Hadfield Manganese steel that was produced by the Carnegie-Illinois & Sharon Steel Corporations. Each completed raw M-1 helmet shell weighed 2.25 lbs each.

The Helmet features a shell which was originally painted in standard WWII U.S. Navy Blue, with the white paint and red stripe added during the period on top of the blue. The navy blue can still be seen where the paint has chipped off. 

The U.S. WWII M-1 helmet was only produced from 1941 to 1945. The first production batch resulted with over 323,510 M-1 helmets before the start of the American involvement in the war. The Ordnance Department selected McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company of Detroit Michigan to produce the steel M1 helmet bodies. These bodies were made from a single piece of Hadfield Manganese steel that was produced by the Carnegie-Illinois & Sharon Steel Corporations. Each completed raw M-1 helmet shell weighed 2.25 lbs each.

This M1 shell has correct mid-late war swivel chinstrap loops, called "bales," and a stainless steel rim with a front seam. These rims were both rust resistant and had "non-magnetic qualities" that reduced the chance of error readings when placed around certain sensitive equipment (such as a compass). In October 1943, issues with the fixed bales breaking off resulted in a change to the "swivel bales". Then in October 1944, the rims were changed to non magnetic manganese steel, due to issues with the paint wearing off the rim. Shortly after this in November 1944 the specification was changed to have the rim seam in the rear of the helmet. The rim is splitting a small bit at the front as shown.

The helmet has an extremely worn mid-war OD green chinstrap with stamped steel fittings, but is extremely darkened from wear now. 

The liner is correct "high pressure" WWII issue and stamped with a W for the Westinghouse Electric Co Manufactured in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania this "high pressure" manufactured M-1 helmet liner is identified by an embossed "W" in the crown (which is still Westinghouse's logo to this day). Westinghouse was the largest M-1 helmet liner producer and had two production divisions; Micarta and Bryant Electric. The Micarta Division produced about 13,000,000 M-1 helmet liners and the Bryant Electric Division about 10,000,000. Westinghouse Electric Company started M-1 helmet liner delivery in May 1942. Westinghouse did have a contract to produce airborne liners and converted an unknown amount to airborne configuration. Westinghouse discontinued production around August 17, 1945 when the war ended.

This example is extremely worn with much of the suspension gone and the fittings heavily oxidized. The sweatband and chinstrap are long gone, and there is heavy tearing in the material left.

A very interesting Navy painted and Marine Corps MP-worn M1 helmet, ready for further research and display.